Dragon Age: Fury of the Magi
by Sociopathic-Antichrist
Summary: For over a millenium, magi have been integral to the defence and prosperity of every single kingdom in Thedas. But the Fifth Blight is dawning and a new mage must rise and discover the secrets of the Tevinter Imperium and defeat the Blight.
1. Chapter 1

Dragon Age: Origins

Fury of the Magi

I don't own Dragon Age: Origins, Awakenings or anything else. If I did, I'd be building a home in Antarctica with T3 Broadband.

First Enchanter Irving entered the library and quirked an eyebrow at the common – but still amusing – sight of one mage hogging an entire table to herself. Tomes, each as thick as a stone slab surrounded the magus and hid the apprentice from view as if she had fenced herself off from the outside world. Walking closer and smiling benevolently at a few of the apprentices and their instructors, he glanced at one of the top-most books and frowned.

_Ancient Tevinter Runes – Volume Two_

Other books caught his attention and he allowed a faint smile to inch across his face.

_Tevinter To Ferelden Dictionary_

Standing behind the mage who was bent over another thick tome, Irving cleared his throat.

Lessia slowly straightened up and turned towards the First Enchanter. She showed no sign of the fear that most apprentices showed when confronted by the current head of the Circle, even with the questionable research that was scattered across her table.

"Tevinter Runes, Lessia?" Irving inquired as he gently lifted a tome and examined it thoughtfully. "You do know that the Chantry frowns heavily upon this kind of research, right?"

Shrugging, Lessia slowly stood and closed the book carefully. Letting her long red hair hide her face for a second as she stood, a delicate hand brushed the hair back and tucked it behind her ear.

"Forbidding knowledge is probably the best way to get people interested in it. Take Blood Magic for instance" she stated and looked at Irving inquiringly as if seeking permission to continue.

Irving knew he should have been at the Harrowing with Lessia a minute or so ago but theological discussions with his apprentice were always intriguing.

"Go on."

Nodding, Lessia began to pick up the tomes.

"With Blood Magic being forbidden, there exists no instruction for it. Nobody to teach and guide other magi away from the more demonic aspects. So it becomes an almost foregone conclusion that all Blood Magi succumb to the lure of demonic forces."

Irving cracked a wry grin.

"Fair point. But even if we instructed other magi on that particular school of magic, corruption will always be there. In fact, if we taught them more, they may try to reach beyond their means and cause more mayhem."

Lessia afforded the First Enchanter with a considering nod.

"Perhaps so. But consider this. As it stands, all Maleficar become Apostate's if they aren't butchered outright by the Templar. If Magi were instructed and given appropriate over-sight in regards to these Forbidden Arts, then we would have trained Maleficar's at our disposal. Instead of forcing them to flee or cutting them down where they stand, they could stay here and expand their knowledge safely! Just imagine what kind of aid a fully-trained Maleficar could bring when facing a Blight."

Irving nodded before frowning. "You do have a point. Just don't mention it around the Templar's or the Chantry. But we must get going, Lessia. It's time for your Harrowing."

Nodding, Lessia finished putting the tomes back and smiled nervously.

"Magic exists to serve man. It can never be allowed to rule over them" Templar-Commander Greagoir stated as he watched the First Enchanter lead in another candidate. He had the script practically memorized and had delivered it dozens of time within the last year alone.

Of those dozens of times, he had only seen a handful of magi come out stronger than they had gone in.

"Yes yes Greagoir. We know" Irving interrupted, glancing to the side and smiling at Lessia.

The debate from earlier had stirred memories from his past. When he had tried to push back the boundaries of magic and sought to help others do the same.

_I miss those days. The Templar's claim they exist to protect us but they function as a limiter. If any mage grows too powerful, they are here to remind them of their place. If we can't be strong in ways they approve of, we find ourselves hunted or butchered._

Shaking his head to clear those thoughts, he suppressed a chuckle when he caught sight of his apprentice glaring at the Templar.

"School your thoughts, Lessia. You will need all your wits and power to survive this test. Anger at the Templar's will only ensure your failure."

Taking the words to hear, Lessia nodded and focused on the Lyrium font up ahead.

"This test will pit you against a demon. You will utilize the font to shift your consciousness into the Fade and once there, you are to kill the demon."

Irving nodded at the succinct description and turned to Lessia. "There are no degrees of success here, Lessia. If you fail, the demon will possess you. And the Templar here will kill you."

At that, Irving gestured to a Templar with hair the color of dried blood who was blushing the lightest pink under Lessia's scrutinizing stare.

Nodding, Lessia mustered her courage and slowly advanced on the font. Ignoring the steady metallic thump of steel boots behind her, she reached forward with both her mind and hands and immersed herself in the Lyrium. As her hands sunk into the cool liquid which tingled, her eyes closed.

And her mind…opened.

She felt the atmosphere change about her. From the cool but energizing feel of the Harrowing chamber to something different. More surreal and humid. Sniffing before opening her eyes, her nose instinctively wrinkled at the smell of stale sweat and something that smelt both sweet and rotten.

As her eyes slowly opened, she beheld the twisted beauty of the Fade. The air wavered as if in a heat haze whilst the smell diminished slightly. Catching sight of an odd stone statue that towered over the small clearing in which she had manifested, Lessia slowly made her way over and glanced up at it. The way it seemed to loom over her and glare about even without eyes made her shiver.

"Feels demonic" she murmured and made a note of it in her mind.

Taking a moment to cast about with her senses, Lessia mentally catalogued the spells she had available to herself.

_Lightning, Flame Blast, Winters Embrace, Wisp and Grease_.

Rolling her eyes at her own naïveté, Lessia concentrated and swelled her magic.

A moment later and a small glowing ball of light shimmered into being just above her left shoulder.

Technically considered a small spirit, the Wisp was in fact a manifestation of the mages powers and acted as an external focus similar to a staff albeit slightly weaker.

Nodding and calling to mind the invocation needed to call forth lightning, Lessia slowly advanced with the wisp bobbing closer to her as if it could sense something.

A strange ball of light caught her attention and she easily identified it as a wisp. A moment later and she let out an undignified yelp as an arc of lightning rocketed from the wisp and struck her arm.

Diving to the side and landing awkwardly, Lessia shook her tingling arm and winced. "Ouchies" she mumbled and stuck her head out. Ducking back a moment later as a furrow was ripped into the mound of earth where her head had been sticking out, she nodded.

Taking a deep breath and recalling the invocation necessary for lightning, Lessia leapt out of cover and flung her own bolt of lightning at the wisp. She watched as the bolt of lightning struck the wisp and ripped it apart before she smacked down on the ground and winded herself.

Standing and rubbing her arm, Lessia frowned at her own Wisp which she was convinced was laughing at her. Advancing down the slope and then up the incline, Lessia peeked over the rise and caught sight of another wisp. Bringing to mind another spell, she sprinted up the remainder of the slope and focused her will on the spirit.

A few snow-flakes cascaded around her and a moment later the enemy wisp was engulfed in a flash of blue light that left a thin sheen of ice on the ground.

_Finally getting practical experience with these spells_ she thought with a faint smile.

Whilst magi in the tower could practice their spells to a degree, there was no way for them to test their spells in any form of combat.

_Our custodians probably don't want us to slip our leash._

Gaining confidence in her abilities as she made her way up the slope and under an overhang, she caught sight of what appeared to be a worm. Following the length of the worm up further, she stifled a yelp when the mouse it was attached to spun around and spoke.

"Hello there."

Even though she stifled the yelp, a squeak still escaped her.

The mouse glowed for a moment before the white light grew into the shape of a man. Seconds later and the glow faded to reveal what looked like a thirty year old mage.

"Another one sent to face a demon."

Blinking, Lessia could only nod dumbly. But the more analytical side of her brain which kept her up till the early morning found something off about the mouse-man. Part of it was the way his eyes looked at her. Hungry. But not the kind of hunger with which a lot of other men looked at her – a hunger for which she had no name – but as if eying a potential meal.

"Y-yes, that's right. I've been sent here to take down a demon" she confirmed and kept her suspicion carefully veiled. In all her research into the fade, one rule had stood out above all others.

_Trust not in what you see, smell, hear, touch or even taste. Trust in what you know._

"You will need help. I have seen this demon and it is far too much for you to defeat. I've been here for many years and so I know the lay of the…land."

Quirking an eyebrow, her suspicions were only heightened. It wasn't directly offering help but was instead tempting her to invite it in.

_So…this is my demon. It's trying to trick me for now. But it ultimately needs my permission to enter. I either…die or succeed. _

Shrugging, Lessia made to walk past. "I think I will be fine. I do appreciate the offer of assistance but I will find this demon. And I will either prove myself a mage or die."

Taking another step, she was brought up short by a sigh that had the sound of being practiced many times.

"I'll come with. Maybe it will help redeem me."

Nodding and smiling at the apprentice, Lessia advanced onwards as the apprentice shifted back into his mouse form.

"You can call me Mouse if you're interested."

"What's it been like to be in the Fade for so long? Have you been to the Black City?" Lessia inquired.

"It…distorts everything. Things that would seem logical in the real world are confused here. Up isn't always up for example. And as for the Black City…it hurts to look upon it."

Lessia nodded but her attention had been caught by another wisp who had yet to notice her.

_Perhaps I can try out that Tevinter glyph I learned…how did it go again…_

Tracing the sigil in the air and willing it to appear beneath the wisp, she watched happily as it swirled into existence under the wisp. Infused with Lyrium, it activated and froze the wisp in a spiritual vacuum.

_Paralysis in the Fade is different to the kind invoked in the mortal realm. In the Fade, a creature is inviolate if no direct attack is made. But by creating a spiritual vacuum, I make sure it can't move by the process of ensuring it cannot move beyond itself._

Blinking at the somewhat odd thought that seemed muddled, Lessia knew that her time in the Fade was growing short.

Walking up to the paralyzed wisp and extending her hand, she watched as a small cone-shaped vortex of fire erupted from her hand. But instead of immediately killing the wisp as her other spells had done, the Flame Blast spell had set it alight…and the Glyph of Paralysis kept it from moving.

Wincing in discomfort at the almost sub-audio scream that echoed throughout the area, Lessia noticed that her wisp had taken to hiding so close to her that it had practically buried itself in her hair.

As the wisp vanished and the flames were extinguished, Lessia glanced around and caught sight of a strange spirit on a rise. Making her way toward it whilst glancing about, she blinked in surprise when, instead of attacking her or ignoring her, the spirit nodded at her.

"Greetings, magus. I assume you are here due to the test that the mages invoked?"

"Um…I am, yes. I'm here to take down a demon" she began but had her attention distracted slightly by the sight of all the weapons.

Some hung in mid-air and others lay securely on racks but what drew her attention was the sight of a staff.

_Most apprentices never get to hold or touch a staff. They're considered too powerful for anyone who hasn't undergone this test. Perhaps…_

"You've been here a while I take it? I know a bit about the Fade and these weapons aren't made from steel and wood, leather and crystal. They're made from thought. But for such thought constructs to possess this much definition speaks of both great concentration and time."

"I am the Spirit of Valor. I am…a conglomeration of different aspects of souls. The ones that are ripped apart by demons have parts scattered and some are attracted to me. And you have a good mind, mage. I have been here for a while. Although in the mortal realm only a second may have passed since my creation, it has been many centuries here. Or so it seems."

Nodding, Lessia gestured. "Spirit, I ask of you a boon. I do not have much time left and I must slay this demon. May I do your thought-constructs the honor they deserve and wield one to slay such a terrible foe?"

Valor eyed the mage curiously. Some magi begged and pleaded with him for one of his weapons. Others demanded. And neither of those types got to even touch the hilt of a weapon.

But this mage was different. He could feel it in just how connected she was to the Fade.

"I will…on one condition. That once you leave here, you promise to do whatever it takes to stop these tests. Many have died here, some would have been revolutionaries. The Golden City became the Black City because magi tread too far into the Fade. Promise me this and you may wield a staff."

Lessia paused.

_The Harrowing is as much a test of ability as it is of the mind. But we are untrained in combat. In how to use our spells offensively._

"I so swear, Valor."

"Then take a staff and go, Lessia Telrúnya. You do not have much time left."

Nodding, Lessia walked over and wrapped her slim fingers around the warm hilt of the staff.

"I don't have time to seek out any more allies or power here. I must slay this demon now."

"The arena is just back the way we came. It's surrounded by fire like a bulging peninsula" Mouse stated and gestured ahead with his nose.

Recalling the place he was talking about, Lessia immediately began to walk towards it before slowing and glancing around.

"Something's here" she murmured before yelping and ducking as a spectral wolf lunged out from mid-air to try and rip her throat out.

One by one, wolves began to appear around her, stepping out of thin air and snarling at her.

Standing and looking around at the wolves warily, Lessia allowed herself a small smile.

"I know exactly what spell to use here" she murmured to Mouse and gestured with her hand for the small rodent to move away.

Mouse nodded and scampered away.

Lifting the staff with one hand and willing the wisp to hover by her other shoulder, Lessia took a deep breath before willing the spell into being. Extending a hand and aiming her palm at the ground around her, she nodded.

Thick sludge erupted from a point close to an inch from her palm and splattered onto the ground which formed a thick, slippery film. Spraying the Grease spell around herself completely until she was surrounded by a veritable ocean of the thick slime, she nodded.

_I've removed their mobility and speed from them. I can do this!_

A moment later and the wolves charged.

Or tried to.

Not only is it exceptionally difficult to charge at an enemy when your paws are submerged up to your ankles, it becomes far worse when the substance is so slippery that even standing upright becomes a challenge.

As the first two wolves approached from directly ahead, Lessia quickly selected the only spell she had that would affect more than one enemy.

Flame Blast.

Taking a deep breath and extending her staff towards the wolves, she willed her magic into the staff and chose what form it would take when it exited the staff.

A cone of fire.

As the blast of fire erupted from the crystal perched at the tip of her staff, Lessia's smile quickly turned into an expression of fear as the grease ignited explosively.

Not even having a spare second to scream, Lessia threw herself backwards as hard as she possibly could whilst hoping the sludge behind her hadn't ignited. Sluicing back through the grease just a bare quarter of a second faster than the fire, she shot free of the grease just as the fire engulfed the entire puddle of slime. Quickly dissolving the grease on her clothes before the fire followed the thick trail she had left, Lessia watched the wolves seemingly shatter inside the pyre.

_Interesting. They didn't tell us that Fire spells and the Grease spell could interact like that. But in hindsight, it's really quite obvious_ she thought, chagrined by her moment of sheer stupidity.

Panting and slowly standing from her seated position, Lessia watched the flames extinguish themselves as the grease was completely consumed. With her mind already buzzing with ideas for new spells, she gestured idly towards Mouse. "Come on, let's go face this demon."

Mouse was staring at Lessia with even more curiosity now. Few magi ever managed to combine spells like that. Some didn't think of it, some didn't survive it and t hose few who thought of it and survived never shared the secret.

_Oh, it shall be fun possessing her._

Stepping across the charred and blackened ground, Lessia quickly found herself at the arena. Walking into it nervously, her eyes immediately locked onto an amorphous blob that slowly coalesced into a demon.

_A rage demon. I've read about them in one of the tomes Irving lent me. Let me see…oh yes, they tend to attack hard and fast but without much strategy. They overwhelm, not outmaneuver. _

Entering the arena properly, she was brought up short as the walkway she had just occupied crumbled away to be replaced by an inferno.

Taking another glance at the Rage Demon, Lessia yelped and shot forward just as the demon swung an arm at her. Barely escaping the attack, Lessia quickly called up the Winters Embrace spell.

As the ice rapidly encased the lower half of the demonic manifestation, Lessia yelped as a small bolt of lightning struck her left arm. Focusing on the demon, she quickly willed the rune for paralysis into existence underneath the demon and watched it activate. Turning away from the trapped monstrosity, she glared at the five wisps circling the arena.

Hurling her own bolt of lightning back at the first wisp, she knew that a single solid spell would destroy these wisps.

Wisps were perhaps the most fragile spirits within the Fade and only survived destruction by being small and having access to a tiny degree of magic.

Lessia however, had access to far more magic.

Watching the first Wisp vanish in a puff of smoke, she quickly moved on to the others and vanquished them in short order. The second was frozen and the third was engulfed in a cone of fire when it ventured too close. The fourth and fifth were treated in the same way the first and second were dealt with, respectively.

Turning back to the demon, she was just in time to see the rune fade away and the demon released.

Spraying a quick blast of grease at the demon to blind it, Lessia hurried to the side and even still barely evaded the hungry grasping of the demon.

Quickly engulfing the malevolent spirits bottom half with ice, Lessia smiled victoriously as the demon surged its own fire-based magic, melting the ice quickly.

"Got you" she stated and before the demon could blink, Lessia had hurled a bolt of lightning at it. But instead of aiming for the central mass, she had aimed for the puddle of water that had formed around the creatures feet.

With a scream of frustration and rage, the demon exploded violently due to the massive influx of power.

Reaching up, Lessia made a face as she pulled a few chunks of demon from her hair. "Eugh…that's disgusting" she whined, flinging the sloppy remains to the ground where they evaporated.

Slowly turning to Mouse who was watching her, she frowned.

"The charade is up, Mouse. I know you're a demon. And I know that you're my real test."

Slowly transforming into his human self, Mouse stared at the young mage in annoyance.

"How long did you know, mortal?" he growled out, his voice sounding larger than his body.

"This is the Fade. Nothing is what it seems here. And a mage offering to help with no expectation of reward, especially when trapped in the Fade? I don't think so."

Mouse nodded though his eyes appeared colder than the spell Lessia had just utilized.

"You are powerful, Lessia Telrúnya. You would have risen high in the Tevinter Imperium ranks. But the age of Mages is fading fast. Perhaps you can restore them, perhaps not."

Lessia could feel the unspoken promises oozing into her head like warm honey and shook her head to clear them away.

"So you are a Pride Demon. Preying on a persons need for glory and power. I will not succumb."

Mouse smirked darkly at her before his shape shifted again into something far larger.

"Very well, mortal. But there will come a time when you need more power than you possess. And then…then we shall see."

A moment later and Lessia lost consciousness.

"Come on Lessia, wake up! Irving will have my hide if you don't!"

Lessia groaned and slowly cracked open her eyes. She felt drained and her entire left side was still tingling most unpleasantly.

"Jowan, what have I told you about waking me up?" she whined and slowly sat up with her right arm as support.

"That you'd encase me in stone up to my neck and leave me in public for birds to crap on?" he asked with a wry smile. Shaking his head and taking a step back just in case, he gestured for her to get up.

"The First Enchanter wants to see you. But I was wondering if I could talk to you first" Jowan inquired and assumed a comfortable pose showing he was quite prepared to wait.

"Ugh…I feel worse than the time you convinced me that brandy was water" she groaned and glared at him out of the corner of her eye.

Looking somewhat embarrassed, Jowan sighed. "You're never going to let me forget that, are you Lessia?"

"You weren't found by the First Enchanter dancing on his desk, were you now? Do you have ANY idea how humiliating that was?"

Jowan had the good grace to look ashamed.

"Fine, what do you want. And make it quick."

"What do you know about the Tranquil, Lessia?" Jowan asked and as he felt her glare, hurriedly continued. "I think I'm going to be made into one of them. You've only been here as an apprentice for seven years and you're already a fully fledged mage. I've been here for fifteen and there hasn't even been a mention about it."

Lessia sighed and frowned at him.

"Look Jowan. How many hours a week do you spend in the library?"

Looking somewhat confused, he shrugged. "I don't know…maybe twenty?" he suggested and flinched under her annoyed look.

"I spend close to seventy hours a week in the Library. And that isn't including the time I spend studying with Irving. And even with all that, it was close Jowan. Be glad you have more time to prepare" she stated before standing. "Now get out. I need to change" she ordered.

Jowan glanced down and flushed a deep burgundy when he saw she was just in her underwear.

A moment later and he was sent fleeing whilst the seat of his pants smoldered alarmingly.

Lessia sighed as she heard the loud, angry shouting of the Templar-Commanded which none-the-less was off-set by the calmer, wiser shouting of the First Enchanter.

After donning her typical attire of an apprentices robe and cowl, she had quickly made her way up to the second floor where she had been told the First Enchanter was _entertaining_ the Templar-Commander.

On her way up, she had made sure to pass through the Libraries, both the Apprentice one and the Mage Library, the latter of which contained more advanced books. Promising herself to spend even more time in here than the Apprentices library, Lessia entered the study and quirked an eyebrow at the sight of the three men there, two of which she knew.

The First Enchanter was glaring at Greagoir whilst the Templar-Commander was glaring right back.

The third man was silent and had adopted the demeanor of a man who was watching two children bicker over the last cookie.

"First Enchanter, I'm here" she announced, completely ignoring Greagoir.

"Ahh, good evening child. I trust you are rested sufficiently?"

Clenching her left fist, she shrugged. "Some aches and tingles but I'll be fine. I've sustained worse in your sessions" she stated with a half-smile.

Laughing under his breath, Irving nodded and gestured to the third man.

"This is Duncan. He's a Grey Warden here to recruit mages for the war brewing near Ostagar."

The cooler, logical side of her brain saw no coincidence in Duncan arriving the exact same day she had passed her Harrowing.

That said, it had taken five years for Irving to develop that particular side of her.

Irving caught her eye and nodded minutely, signaling he knew what she was thinking and agreeing with it. It was also a signal that they would talk when alone.

"Would you mind escorting Duncan to the guest quarters, Lessia?" Irving requested and chuckled at the mutinous flare in her eyes before it was squelched with practiced ease.

"Of course, First Enchanter. I exist to serve the Circle" she replied with sarcasm coloring her tone to be a tad darker than was the norm.

Rolling his eyes, Irving nodded before returning to his desk.

"Come alone then, Duncan. It can get quite confusing here, what with the perfectly logical lay-out" she stated whilst making sure her voice was loud enough for the First Enchanter to hear.

Irving frowned.

_It is good that Duncan wants to recruit her. By becoming a full mage, the Chantry and the Templar in particular will have direct power over her. She is too hungry for knowledge for them to let her exist unmonitored. Maker preserve me for putting her between a rock and a very hard, sharp place._

Lessia easily navigated the halls whilst remaining silent. It was not that she wasn't curious about the Grey Warden but her early life had taught her to be exceptionally careful and circumspect when dealing with humans.

And the nobler their rank was, the more dangerous they could be to an elf.

"So, how long have you been here?" Duncan inquired, curious about this potential new recruit.

"Just going on ten years now. Been an apprentice for seven" Lessia responded.

"I thought you had to be an Apprentice or higher to be able to stay here" Duncan inquired, his curiosity piqued.

"That is usually the case, yes. However, the First Enchanter argued that I be allowed to stay here since my gift was more advanced than most."

Duncan grinned at that. "Irving always was a good a man. Stern…but good. But how much more advanced?"

Lessia smiled. She always did enjoy discussing magic.

"By the age of five I could control fire enough that I was never cold. It wasn't fool-proof but I was warm more often than not. By six I could shock anyone that tried to hurt me. Which in the Alienage was quite often" she stated, her voice suddenly turning dark.

"And how did your particular gift awaken, if I might inquire? I was lead to believe a certain event triggers the awakening of the talent in those inclined."

Lessia winced at the question and struggled to keep those memories buried.

"I don't want to talk about it. Here's your room. Good day" she stated, her tone suddenly flat and devoid of anything approaching life.

Duncan frowned as he entered his room.

_Just how bad was life at the Alienage for her?_

Lessia struggled to compose herself as she made her way to the chambers of the First Enchanter.

_I can't afford to let those memories out. Not yet. Once I'm away from the tower, maybe then._

Finally arriving back at the First Enchanters rooms and entering, she closed the door and finally allowed her tiredness to show.

"Was the Harrowing that bad?"

Lessia didn't even blink in surprise as Irving spoke from his desk without looking up.

"It confirmed everything I had been taught about the Fade. But yes…it was rough. I learnt some things though" she stated and smiled.

"Such as?"

"Well, magical grease is combustible for one thing. Another is that a demon really can't handle lightning" she stated, somewhat evasively.

_It's not that I don't trust him. I just want to develop these ideas on my own._

Irving grinned wryly.

"Yes, we generally let Apprentices discover spell combinations on their own. If we taught them that, they wouldn't experiment. Sure, less would explode but magic is a risky venture" he stated.

Lessia smiled and took her seat.

"So, I'm to accompany the Grey Warden to Ostagar then?"

Irving grinned at her and nodded.

"Indeed. We both agree that were you to stay here, the Chantry would crack down on your reading heavily. And I can only see two possible outcomes. You die or they die."

Lessia winced at the matter-of-fact tone but nodded in agreement.

"By sending you to become a Grey Warden, it is the same as giving you the freedom to research whatever you want, as the title of Grey Warden confers a sort of diplomatic immunity."

Lessia couldn't contain the hopeful smile that split her face.

Irving chuckled dryly.

"I'm also willing to let you take some books with you on your journey. It's rare but I get the feeling you'll need all the help you can get" Irving stated gravely and the jocularity that had once infused his face had faded.

"Duncan has his suspicions about this new war. He tells me it is a Blight and I am inclined to believe him, despite all the evidence to the contrary. Do not ask me why, Lessia. There are some secrets that I cannot tell you" he stated when she opened her mouth.

Pouting, she nodded.

"Go gather the books you want to take. And please, less than ten."

Lessia sighed again and nodded. Standing and smiling at her mentor, the young magus bowed. "I thank you, First Enchanter Irving. For all the help and all the knowledge."

Irving nodded formally at Lessia. "Farewell, young magus. If we do not meet in this life again, I will expect to hear the demons speak of you with fear."

Lessia turned and made her way out with a heavy heart.

Duncan found Lessia in the library, surrounded by books and glancing at each of them in turn.

"Is something the matter, Lessia?" he inquired and got a sharp nod in response. "May I help?"

"I don't know which tome to take!"

Glancing down at the books, he grinned in amusement.

"I would take some to do with Tevinter runes. If you ever get into any of the ruins, you could find some powerful magic in there. And I understand there is an entire branch of magic dedicated to runes."

Lessia nodded absently and slipped another into her bulging pack.

"I guess that's it then. We'd best be off" she stated quietly and a moment later, she began to cry.

Duncan winced at the sight. Like most male warriors, he had no clue what to do when confronted by a crying woman.

"Is…something the matter?"

Lessia glanced up and stared at him through tear-filled eyes.

"The Circle is the first place I have ever considered a home. Nobody hated me here and I could practice my gift without the worry of being discovered. And now I'm being taken away from it all to fight a war I could care less about!"

Duncan flinched at the accusatory tone of her voice.

"I am…sorry, Lessia. If I could find another mage as promising as you, I would do so in a heart-beat. I don't want to put you in the front-lines of a war but I must. For what its worth, you will have ample opportunity to explore magic without the purview of the Chantry."

Lessia nodded and smiled weakly. "Here I am a fully-fledged mage and crying like a little girl."

"You still are a little girl" Duncan reminded her.

"Don't remind me. Shall we be off then?"

Duncan nodded though his concern was obvious.

"We shall make our way south. We will stop first at Lothering to replenish our supplies before advancing to Ostagar. We'll be riding hard for Ostagar so I expect you'll appreciate the rest there."

Lessia shuddered.

"Riding? As in horses?"

Duncan nodded and blinked at her.

"Do I have to? I hate riding horses" Lessia complained but stilled at the glare from Duncan.

"I am making a great many concessions, mage. We must get there within five days. If you know a faster transportation method than horses, I'm all for it."

Lessia stayed quiet.

"Horse it is then."

And that's chapter one! This is just a trial project and I'm looking to get some feedback. Now, before anybody reviews, let me address a few things.

First, Lessia is not a mary sue or a self-insert. May seem like it but she is flawed. Exceptionally so actually. Yes, she's powerful. And smart. But only book-smart. If she can read about it, she'll know it. Her past will be revealed soon.

I also realize events are a bit different than in the game but its all part of setting the stage. Jowan will show up again.

Also, this hasn't been proofed. I would welcome messages showing mistakes in spelling or etcetera. Or someone offering to proof.


	2. Chapter 2

Dragon Age: Origins

Fury Of The Magi

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Age: Origins. And stupid me, I didn't buy any shares in the company before it went public. Don't I look like an idiot now?

Chapter 02

A thunderous crack split the air which lay still across the Bannorn, louder than any cannon-blast the Quanari could create. Flocks of birds took flight as the sound boomed across the flat landscape with trees offering little protection against the almost physical noise.

Duncan stirred as his mind processed the thunderous crack and he slowly sat up, blinking groggily. Glancing around to determine if there was any trouble in the immediate vicinity, his eyes passed over Lessia's empty bedroll without comprehension.

A moment later and his eyes snapped back to the empty bedroll. Swearing violently as he registered that Lessia was indeed missing, he threw the thick blanket off his form and scrambled to his feet whilst snatching up his two long-swords.

"Damnit! I don't have time for this" he growled out and immediately looked around whilst trying to process where the deafening sound had come from. With the lands as flat as they were, it wasn't particularly easy to determine its source.

Taking another look around, he spotted something odd with a tree almost a hundred paces distant from the camp-site. Far away from the camp and definitely beyond his earshot.

The tree was split almost down the middle.

Bursting into a sprint towards the tree whilst gripping the blades tight, he slowed to a jog when his eyes picked out a hunched-over figure ten feet from the base of the tree.

"Lessia, what the hell happened?" Duncan demanded.

Finding Grey Warden initiates was rare enough that every single applicant had to be guarded zealously until they were deemed ready to venture out on their own.

Lessia stared up at Duncan with blood-shot eyes whilst every inch of her body trembled with exhaustion and anger.

"I…remembered something. From the Alienage" she whispered quietly and made to stand. As she rose, her legs gave out and with a pained cry she fell onto her knees.

Wincing, Duncan nodded. "Do you want to share, Lessia? It can help to share the burden" he stated, his earlier ire fading.

_I know its bad in the Alienage's but…what could have happened to provoke this kind of response?_

As she took a moment to compose herself and formulate an answer, he looked at the tree and his eyes widened whilst a faint grin tugged at his lips.

Every inch of the tree was coated in ice which shimmered like jewels in the early morning light whilst it was split completely down the middle as if cleaved in twain by a massive axe.

_Very impressive. I've seen lightning do this to trees before and from what I know, the cold would only intensify the strike._

Having spent some time in the colder wilds in his younger years, Duncan knew that at low temperatures that a tree could potentially explode. And with the water in the ice acting as a conductor for the charge.

"I…I guess" Lessia whispered and she settled into a seated position with her legs drawn up in front of her as if huddling to preserve heat.

Duncan slowly sat and watched Lessia gather her strength for what would be an obviously arduous tale.

_Flashback_

_Lessia slept soundly under the covers of her bed with only the occasional breath stirring her soft red hair which lay under her cheek. Her small hands clasped the top of the blanket that lay atop her and keeping the cold out albeit somewhat ineffectually._

_Bed was rather a grandiose term for the straw pallet she slept on with a few stalks poking her back though she had gotten used to it enough that it never woke her. And the blanket was a tattered scrap of cloth that her mother had purloined from the trash of the Arl. _

_Her mother was Eärlindë Súrion, one of the newer elves to the Alienage and certainly not one born into the quasi-prison. She had come from further north although she either never spoke of it nor remembered for she was declared a runaway from another Alienage or the Dalish elves._

_The night air was split suddenly by a loud bang as the door to the house slammed open followed by another thump as the door was locked and bolted._

_Slowly sitting up and looking blearily in the direction of the noise, Lessia blinked. _

"_Mommy? What's happening?" she inquired tiredly before yawning massively and tugging the blanket up to cover her now-bare shoulders._

"_Lessia, get under the bed now!"_

_Sitting there dumb-founded, Lessia yelped as her mother grabbed her wrist and yanked her harshly._

"_Now, Lessia! And stay quiet. And above all else, focus on not being seen" Eärlindë hissed and helped her daughter get under the bed as fast as possible. Ignoring her daughters yelp of pain when her head banged off the wooden frame, she tugged the blanket down a bit to hide as much as possible._

_A moment later and the door seemed to explode inwards and a fully-armoured Templar could be seen in the wreckage with two more following him in with their own blades drawn._

"_There she is! Get the bitch!" the first one roared and the two others surged past him to tear Eärlindë away from the bed to bring her to their leader._

_Lessia peeked out from under the edge of the bed just in time to see the lead Templar backhand her mother violently enough to send a few teeth tinkling across the floor._

_The lead Templar easily picked Eärlindë up by the throat and held her above the floor as she struggled weakly against his iron grip._

"_What do you guys say to having a bit of fun with this elven bitch before we rip her head off?" he sneered and was rewarded by the cheers of his other two compatriots who were obviously drunk._

"_No! Anything but that!"_ _Eärlindë screamed though not for her own benefit. _

_She didn't want her daughter to be forced to listen to her cries and whimpers, the harsh grunts and moans and the final scream as she was killed._

"_Shutup, whore. You don't get a choice in this. If you play along, we promise to make it quick" he snarled out and threw the woman toward the bed as hard as possible._

_As she slammed into the straw pallet and cracked her head against the wall, Eärlindë managed to retain enough control to whisper one thing to Lessia._

"_Stay quiet…please. You're too important…"_

_A moment later and the men descended on her like ravenous wolves, their armored hands ripping away cloth whilst bruising her flesh._

_Lessia kept a hand clasped over her mouth as hard as possible to stop her own cries and whimpers from escaping. Focusing on not being seen as hard as possible, the world took on a somewhat monochrome tone._

_The bed creaked alarmingly with every movement atop it whilst the fleshy smack of fists hitting flesh providing a horrifying counter. _

_Lessia began to count the passing seconds in her head to try and distract herself even as she focused on not being seen or heard._

It's been two hours…please, please go away!_ Lessia begged to herself and seemingly as soon as she thought that, the creaking stopped._

"_Stupid whore. Shouldn't have slapped the Arl" the lead Templar growled out as he slowly drew his blade and stared down at the woman._

_Every inch of her face was bruiser and blood oozes from her nose, mouth and ears whilst her body was similarly bruised with a few gashes decorating her stomach and breasts._

"_Go back to your heathen gods, bitch!" the Templar growled out and drove his sword done as hard as he possibly could with the blade glancing off her spine and diverting the blow two millimeters._

_Those two millimeters saved Lessia's life._

_Instead of ripping into her skull and pulping her brain as it should have done, it chipped the ground a bare hair from her ear with a few of the shards scratching her._

_Despite all her focus, she let out a whimper behind her hand._

"_What was that?"_

_Two gauntleted hands gripped the frame of the bed and with a roar and a mighty heave the bed was thrown against the wall, shattering due to the force of the blow._

"_Nothings…there?" he stated though it came out more like a question._

"_Probably just a dying sound. Come on Greagoir, let's go. We shouldn't have left the barracks."_

_Greagoir nodded and looked around once more before turning and stalking out. _

"_Just a month to go and I'll be promoted to Templar-Commanded to oversee the Circle of Magi. Finally."_

_As the three Templar left, Lessia slowly stood and blinked as the colors took on their rightful tones. As the exhaustion struck her, she slowly padded over to the cooling corpse of her mother._

"_Mommy…wake up…" she begged, sinking to her knees in the pool of blood slowly spreading across the floor._

"_Come on mommy…please…I'll be a good girl…I won't do anything bad…please just wake up!"_

_Only silence greeted her pleas._

_End Flashback _

Duncan looked nauseated as Lessia finished the tale.

"The Templar-Commander did that?" he asked though his lips had curled into a snarl.

Blinking, Lessia's own eyes filled with rage as she connected the two names to the one person.

"I'll kill him" she ground out before her eyes rolled back in her head and she knew no more.

Duncan sighed as he picked up the elven girl.

"You had best be ready, Greagoir. When this girl comes for you, I will truly pity you and all who stand before her."

====

Lessia woke slowly, reveling in the feel of a warm and soft bed that seemed to mould to her every contour and need. Her eyes opened slowly due to the tears which had crusted upon her eyes and she beheld a marvelous wood-panelled ceiling.

"Where…where am I?"

The words tumbled from her lips before she had even thought them and her voice sounded off to her ears. Rough and pained as if she had been crying all night.

Then the memories resurfaced and she bit back a whimper.

Sparks of magic danced angrily across her hands as she fought back the rising tide of both bile and rage that threatened to swallow her completely.

Looking around and finding she was the only occupant in the room, Lessia rose from her bed and padded to the small table near the door to retrieve the note she saw whilst in the bed.

_Gone to retrieve supplies for the last leg of our journey. Ten sovereigns are in the pouch under this note. Prepare wisely._

Lessia looked down at the amount of gold in shock. Being a mage in the tower meant that most if not all your material needs were taken care of. Specialist items were usually traded for favors within the upper ranks with some of the Enchanters or even Senior Enchanters taking advantage of the Apprentices and indebting them heavily.

Picking up the ten golden coins gently as if terrified they would shatter, a smile spread across her face.

A smile of girlish glee.

====

Leliana easily slipped into the small store without being noticed by the few patrons within. Whether it was in part to her training or just the degree with which she had been accepted, nobody could tell. Making her way to the back of the store where the more esoteric and foreign items were stored, she let out a sigh when the bare shelf greeted her.

Again.

She came in each chance she got to peruse the stores contents for anything that would provide a spark to her current life.

_It's not that I hate the Chantry or the village. On the contrary, I love the peace and contentment here. I just want something unique, something undoubtedly mine._

Turning to leave, Leliana stopped as her eyes caught something interesting.

A young woman stood eying the collection of staves the store had in stock, which ranged from simple lengths of wood to the ostentatious and over-compensating.

Visitors to Lothering were rare given its position. At most they would get the random guard patrol that kept the roads safe with a larger company stopping by on their way to Ostagar.

But this young woman had not the muscles of a soldier nor the wary countenance of one who was expecting a pick-pocket.

Stepping closer, Leliana peered at what the woman was examining with such rapt attention that none of it was spared to protect herself from a thief.

It was a fairly plain staff, approximately six feet long and made of an indiscernible wood. It was black as pitch which lead some to think it was from the colder regions of the Korcari Wilds but the occasional fleck of gold running through it disputed that claim.

Besides the odd wood, there was little else remarkable about the staff.

"I heard about these…but I thought they had all been destroyed when the Imperium collapsed."

Leliana's ears perked up at hearing the soft voice come from the woman. Pretending to be focused on the shelf before her, her eyes darted back and forth.

"An Origin Staff…incredible. And in its most basic state. The Circle of Magi would pay for a fortune for this."

Leliana blinked at that before her eyes widened as a small passage in a history book sprang to mind.

_The Tevinter Imperium was ruled by magi for as long as history documents them. And among perhaps their greatest achievement was the Origin Staff. In its most basic state, it is essentially powerless and acts as nothing more than a crude channel for the mages power._

_But by being so basic, it allows the mage to augment it. To carve runes into it and add accoutrements that magnify its power. _

Leliana watched the girl carefully heft it and test its weight. She struggled with it for a moment but was able to mostly wrap her hand around it.

_So this girl must be a mage…but why is she here?_

Lessia hadn't noticed Leliana shadowing her as she made her way up to the register. Whilst she managed to conceal it albeit barely, she was brimming with excitement at this monumental fine.

"Fifteen sovereigns."

At that, Lessia's joy vanished.

"W-what?" she inquired, her voice trembling as she stared up at the shop owner.

"You heard me. Fifteen sovereigns. I've had this damn thing here for a year so you can bet I'm going to get my moneys worth for it."

Leliana frowned minutely at that.

Lessia bit her lip and looked around sadly as if trying to spot a spare sovereign on the ground.

"R-really? B-but…" she whimpered.

Leliana had had enough of the shop-owner. Walking towards the counter, she frowned at the portly man who was smirking at the younger woman.

"Here's the extra five sovereigns" Leliana snapped and dropped the five extra coins to the bench contemptuously.

Lessia stared wide-eyed at the woman whilst hugging the staff close to her body.

"T-thankyou" she mumbled out, her eyes still wide.

Leliana smiled down at the younger woman who was nearly a half-foot shorter and crouched a bit. Nodding coolly to the store owner, she turned and left quickly.

Lessia stared at the door the woman had vanished through before racing after her, all the while making sure to keep the staff from knocking merchandise. As she stepped outside though and looked about, no trace could be found of the red-headed woman.

Making her way back to the inn which was across the dirt road, Lessia didn't notice the duo of armed guards angling her way until they were but three feet away and already herding towards a back alley.

The first inkling Lessia had of trouble was the cold armored hand on her shoulder.

The second inkling was the other hand clasping over her mouth to stifle any protests as she was dragged suddenly into the shadow.

"Whadda we have here Gus?"

"Looks like some pretty lil thing" Gus replied and grinned down at the woman.

Lessia looked between the two, clearly terrified of the soldiers. Although soldiers seemed far too grandiose a term for the two men who were dressed in cracked, muddy, blood-splattered leather boots and cuirass.

"Let's have some fun huh? Nobody will miss her, bein an elf and all"

Lessia's eyes which had been closing and prickling which tears, snapped open and she glared at the both of them with such hatred that it stopped Gus for a moment.

"Looks like this little thing has some teeth. No matter" Gus said and leaned forward, his stubble and foul breath assaulting Lessia.

A second later he started to scream.

It sounded of agony as deep as the soul, one which burns through every nerve ending and to make one bite off their own tongue.

The next second, Gus erupted as fire exploded from his every orifice and consumed him in a pyroclastic display that charred the ground. No screams came from the fireball for all the air around the flaming soldier was consumed faster than it could be replaced.

Lessia stared coldly at the soldier as he was immolated.

All she could see was Greagoir's face glaring down at her without seeing her the night her mother was butchered like a pig. A moment later and the flames snarled out of existence as the last vestiges of air was consumed. All that was left standing there was a pillar of smoking charcoal, steel glowing white hot and the leather armor incinerated.

"Y-you little bitch! You're gonna pay for that!"

Thrown violently against the wall, Lessia turned and flung a hand towards the man as if guided by some primal impulse even as she slammed into the wall brutally.

Lightning erupted from her fingertips and the alley-way was bathed in a fierce white light.

As it faded, it became obvious what had happened to the second guard.

The entirety of the left side of his chest had been disintegrated from the blast and what hadn't been vaporized had been seared so completely that the flesh appeared glassy whilst no blood at all flowed from the corpse. The rest of the corpse twitched as resultant electricity arced through-out it and caused nerves and muscles to twitch spasmodically.

Lessia slowly shook her head and glanced at the two bodies. Then in a flash she was on her knees vomiting what little left she had in her stomach. With the bile burning her throat and the stench of incinerated flesh and hair filling her nose, Lessia forced herself to her feet with the aid of her staff. Staggering out of the alley-way, she winced at the strangely bright light.

Making her way towards the inn once more with all the speed of a century-old woman, Lessia ignored the few people glaring angrily at her. Entering the inn and limping upstairs, she collapsed on her bed with her staff still clutched to her thin frame.

====

Duncan could have sworn until he passed out as he was lead into the Chantry to meet with the Revered Mother. The only details he had gleaned from the guard had been that Lessia had been involved, two men were dead and magic had been used.

Given that Lessia was not a Grey Warden yet, she was not yet granted immunity from most laws regarding magic and its use.

"Good day, Revered Mother" Duncan murmured as he was lead into the small cloister the elderly woman occupied.

"Your little miscreant butchered two of our guards, Warden" the Revered Mother ground out. Whilst she had a kind face, Revered Mother's weren't chosen just for their kindliness.

No, they were chosen to uphold the faith and so had to possess a core and will of iron, to act as both an example and deterrent.

Duncan raised an eyebrow at that.

"And what were the two guards doing troubling my companion?" he inquired lightly.

The Revered Mother stared at him in annoyance.

"No doubt they noticed signs she was a wielder of magic. She was carrying a staff after all."

Duncan paused at that before forging ahead.

"Can you describe this staff to me? I had instructed her to buy a walking stick for the journey ahead for when we had to leave our horses."

The Revered Mother barely suppressed a snarl as she stared at the man.

_This insufferable Warden! He knows as well as I do that she's a mage. But I lack the proof and he has all the advantages!_

"Fine! Just get out of town before the sun rises tomorrow!"

Duncan nodded before turning on his heel and leaving.

"Leliana, I am told you were spotted in the company of this mage. Care to explain why?" the Revered Mother inquired whilst closing her eyes.

Walking out from between the towering book-shelves, Leliana blushed to hide a smile. She had purposefully allowed the Revered Mother to discover her.

_If you tell the truth the first time, they will not suspect a lie the next time_.

"Revered Mother, I encountered this mage when I was at the store. The owner was giving her some trouble so I helped her out. This was before I realized she was a mage. What happened?"

The Revered Mother slowly rose and sighed.

"Two of the guards lie dead. They were the new recruits. Gus and his friend."

"And this is bad, Revered Mother? Both were little better than bandits and given almost free reign."

The Revered Mother sighed.

"I agree. But you must understand, there is a fine line. Had they been slain with sword or arrow, there would be no issue here. I would have even compensated Duncan. But since they were slain with magic, people will see it as a senseless murder of two guards."

Leliana nodded.

"You may return to your prayers, Leliana. If you wish to see the mage off, be sure you are not seen. By them or others."

Leliana nodded, a true blush staining her cheeks at how easily the Revered Mother had seen through her.

_I may have been an Orlesian Bard but I am still a child when compared to the wisdom of the Chantry._

====

Duncan entered the room he had rented for Lessia and before he knew it, he had reached up and was massaging the bridge of his nose to fight off the impending migraine.

"You managed to stir up a hornets nest, Lessia."

Slowly cracking open tear-encrusted eyes, Lessia winced at the sight of Duncan.

"It's not my fault! They were going to…to…"

As she processed the events, she began to shiver and bit her lip.

"Yes they were, Lessia. I am proud that you defended yourself with whatever means you had. Next time though I urge you to be more circumspect."

Lessia blinked at the lack of scolding.

"I am not some parent, Lessia. I am first and foremost a Grey Warden. A warrior and bulwark against the darkness. I would be embarrassed had you not defended yourself."

Lessia nodded, somewhat reassured.

"A Warden must use whatever tools are at his or her disposal. Sometimes the only thing that can defeat the dark is another type of darkness. That is why we do not punish Maleficarum in our ranks."

Lessia nodded and dried her eyes on the sheet covering the bed.

"What did you buy with the ten sovereigns I left you?" Duncan inquired, hoping she had been wise and purchased supplies, a pack and even a crude weapon.

Lessia pointed to the staff that she had propped up against the wall.

Duncan quirked an eyebrow at her before shaking his head.

"Very well. That staff had best be worth it though, Lessia. You won't be eating until we reach Ostagar."

Lessia paled.

There was little fanfare as Duncan and Lessia rode into Ostagar what with most, if not all the troops participating in combat drills or out scouting.

Duncan kept his gaze steely and focused forward as he rode into the ruined fortress of Ostagar. Ruined was a matter of objective though, given that the Ferelden nobility had yet to construct anything even half as grand.

Lessia seemed to be a perfect example of what Duncan wasn't doing. She was gazing around with her mouth open in shock and awe.

"Amazing…its so massive. Magic was used on a scale that most magi can't even comprehend" she whispered.

"It is a Tevinter ruin. Their primary bulwark against the Chasind that rode up from the Korcari Wilds" Duncan explained tersely.

The reason for his anger was not obvious at first but on closer inspection it could be observed that one of his eyebrows had been incinerated and his left cheek was a light pink from the heat.

Lessia pouted at the tone and crossed her arms petulantly. "For the last time Duncan, you shouldn't have woken me so early. I actually managed to name some visible stars!"

Duncan slowly turned and fixed her with a gimlet eye.

Wincing at the glare, Lessia ducked her head.

Duncan nodded and turned around.

"May have to paint on a new eyebrow though."

The sharp sound of reins breaking filled the air as Duncan ripped his apart in an effort to control his anger.

Lessia continued to look around in awe. The fortress was so majestic even in its crumbling state that she found it hard to imagine what it would have been like at its prime.

"Has anyone ever explored Ostagar?"

Duncan took a deep breath to calm himself.

_It's not her fault. She is unused to the rigors of war._

"There have been so preliminary expeditions sent in but they all reported back that the ruins stopped about three floors down. Most assume that its just a massive slab of stone."

"And you don't?"

Duncan paused and chose his words carefully.

"The Tevinter Imperium was a very…conniving race. It would not surprise me that they just sealed it all away when they left. Unfortunately, none of the magi who have probed its depths have managed to unlock its secrets."

Lessia felt a spark of curiosity flare within her and she idly touched the staff that sat lengthways across the horse. It had proven a mild inconvenience at first but she had quickly adapted to its weight.

As part of the limited martial training that the Circle's magi undertook, staff combat was the primary focus of the curriculum with a few other options such as daggers and the rare few learning sword-craft.

The first lesson learned in staff combat was not to fire bolts of magical energy from it but how to hold and use it.

_A mage who doesn't know the top from the bottom of their staff is a big a liability as any blood mage._

That was the first lesson drilled into all of the apprentices on their first day. They were taught how to hold the staff and the correct stance to use in battle, one with their legs spread slightly and their right foot placed behind them to compensate for any recoil suffered in combat.

_But my staff has no top or bottom. It's an Origin Staff_ she mused. She had tried to fire a few bolts of magic from it but had gotten zero response from it except to cause the tree she was aiming at to smoke a bit.

Lessia smiled as she recalled one of the passages concerning Origin Staves.

_The first course of action that must be taken when crafting an Origin Staff is the engraving of runes upon its wood. Each rune must be placed perfectly and there can not be any error in the inscribing or placement of the runes for if there is but one tiny error then the energies can implode violently._

_The next step is the application of artefacts. Also known as talismans, these help to further amplify and focus the power of the staff. Often these talismans act as foci so as to boost the power of the mage in turn._

Looking at her staff, she smiled faintly.

"Pay attention, Lessia. We are approaching King Cailan Theirin. Be civil" Duncan warned as he well knew Lessia's opinion of humans.

Lessia frowned faintly before paying attention to the man in gold armor.

"Welcome Duncan! It gladdens my heart to know you will be upon the field of battle with me."

Duncan nodded formally at the king before dismounting. Turning to Lessia, he barely suppressed a sigh as she tried to scramble off the horse and fell with a yelp.

"And who is this? A new recruit Duncan?"

Duncan nodded and watched as Lessia scrambled to her feet with a smudge of mud on her cheek.

"A mage? Well, that is fortuitous!"

Lessia blinked before she coloured faintly at the attention. She was used to being despised for both her Elven heritage and her gift but here was the king and complimenting her.

_He's…handsome_ she thought and flushed a deeper red at the thought. Few times had she ever considered any person attractive.

Duncan nodded. "Indeed, and from what I was told by the First Enchanter, a very powerful one. She will be a great Warden…should she survive the Joining."

Cailan nodded and smiled minutely at Duncan. "I assume that Alistair will be accompanying her into the wilds?"

Duncan noticed the slight glint to Cailan's eye and nodded. "Indeed. Being the most junior in our order, he could always use more experience."

"Actually King Cailan…might I make a request?"

A gasp was let out by one of the King's attendants at the form of address but Cailan quashed the squawk of outrage with a quick glare.

"Of course, miss…"

"My name is Lessia, your majesty. Lessia Tinehtelë. I was wondering if I might explore the ruins a bit before the Joining. I'm just out of my apprenticeship so I would truly value anything I could glean from this ruin."

Cailan frowned slightly as he thought it over.

_On one hand, we don't really know what's inside this ruin. But on the other hand, we don't know if theres any tunnels the Darkspawn could use. _

Cailan paused before nodding. "Very well. You have four hours to explore before you are to report to Duncan for the excursion into the Korcari Wilds."

Duncan made to protest before he caught Cailan's tiny shake of his head. Trusting in the kings logic, Duncan nodded to Lessia.

"Very well. Go find Alistair and then proceed into the ruins. You have leave to use whatever magic you deem necessary."

Lessia allowed a small smile to slip across her face at that.

_Complete leave to use my magic! At last!_

====

Alistair sighed as the brown-skinned mage stormed away angrily with his back hunched up as if to make himself look more imposing.

"You must be Alistair."

Blinking at a voice that was new to him, he turned and smiled in what he hoped was a charming manner at the slight waif of a girl who stood there with a raised eyebrow.

Lessia stared at Alistair with a great lack of comprehension. She could feel something…off about him, like a figment of a scent in the wind. Just enough to be noticed but too weak to conjure up any sort of memory that could provide a hint as to what it was.

"One good thing about the Blight is how it brings people together" Alistair commented, hoping to break the tension such as it was.

"You…are a very strange human. But war has always united the common folk" Lessia replied.

Alistair frowned at that before he nodded. "I take it we are going into the Korcari Wilds now?" he inquired with a slightly bored tone to his voice.

"Actually…wait…how did you know I was a recruit?"

Alistair chuckled dryly. "I didn't, but you just confirmed it" he replied and smirked wryly.

Groaning and shaking her head, Lessia nodded in acknowledgement of the point scored.

"We're heading into the ruins first. I've been given leave by the King and Duncan."

Alistair blinked before he smiled properly at her, one full of happiness and curiosity.

"Excellent! Something new and interesting! Let's get going."

"Actually…I spent all of the gold Duncan gave me on this staff…I don't really have a backpack" she mumbled and ducked her head to hide her flaming cheeks.

Alistair rolled his eyes and nodded. "Fortunately the Quartermaster here sells them cheap to Grey Wardens. I can probably loan you the fifty-seven silver needed for one" he offered and nodded at her stunned face.

Lessia smiled at him before looking about. "Uh…where is the Quartermaster?"

Grinning, Alastair began walking.

====

Lessia shifted the straps of her backpack again and still the straps continued to dig into her shoulders. Even though it was hardly massive, perhaps big enough to fit in a canteen or two with some room for books, it still weighed enough to be noticeable.

_Fortunately I'm carrying my staff so it isn't worse_ she thought.

Finding the entrance to the ruins had been easy and as they progressed down the ramps and steep stairs, they could see signs of previous adventurers in the trash left behind as well as the remnants of fire-pits. The walls had been rubbed bare or had chips taken out of them as souvenirs.

"So, can you explain magic to me? When I was training to be a Templar, we only got the basic facts and they were mostly one-sided. You know, magic is evil and blah blah blah."

Lessia glared at him with the recent admission.

Feeling the heated glare, Alistair coughed. "I never completed my training. If it helps, think of me as a failed Templar."

Lessia's expression brightened.

"That DOES make me feel better. So…you want to know the Circle's understanding of magic or my own?"

Alistair pondered that for a moment before replying.

"Since we're probably going to be adventuring together for a while, let's go with yours. I can always buy a book later on to find out the Circle's view."

Authors Note

Alright! That's chapter two complete. I ended it a bit short since the explanation of magic is going to be fairly large. Now, a bit of warning. There will be a tiny cross-over in a sense and I will explain why.

We don't actually know what Tevinter runes look like and by that I mean the basic alphabet. To that end, I'll be using the Daedric language from the Elder Scrolls Universe. You can find the link to it in my profile.

If you have a problem with this, just click "Back" twice.


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